Italian Sausage Calzones with Mushrooms and Pepperoni
This Italian Sausage Calzone recipe features crispy homemade dough brushed with garlic butter and a filling of pepperoni, mushrooms, italian sausage and cheesy goodness!
Key ingredients
- Pizza dough: You can use pre-made pizza dough or follow our instructions for homemade calzone dough.
- Cheese: I use a combination of ricotta and mozzarella, but a little parmesan would also be great here.
- Italian sausage: You can use ground sausage or sausage links. If using links, make sure to remove the casing before cooking. As for spice level, I always opt for hot, but mild works just as well.
- Mushrooms: Sliced and sauteed button mushrooms add a deep umami flavor and more texture to the filling.
- Pepperoni: I love the addition of pepperoni, but they are optional.
Step by step photos
Step 1: Make the calzone dough.
Step 2: Saute the Italian sausage until crispy.
Step 3: In the same skillet, saute the mushrooms in butter until golden brown.
Step 4: Combine all filling ingredients and mix well.
Step 5: Dive the dough into 3 portions. Roll into a circle and place the filling on half of the dough.
Step 6: Fold the calzone in half, seal and score. Brush with egg wash and bake.
Storage and reheating
Leftover Italian sausage calzones can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Calzones can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheat in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) until warmed through. Frozen calzones should be thawed in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Expert tips
- Dough Texture: If the dough feels too sticky to work with, you can add a bit more flour. Don’t go overboard — the dough should be quite soft.
- Let the dough sit if it’s difficult to work with. If the dough isn’t easy to roll out, cover it and let it sit for 15-20 minutes to give the gluten time to relax.
- Decorative edges: If you’re trying to crimp the edges of the dough but it’s not holding its shape, transfer the formed calzones to the refrigerator for half an hour (making sure to cover the calzones). This will firm them up, making them easier to seal.
- Buttery Finish: Brush the calzones with garlic butter as soon as they come out of the oven. The garlicky buttery crust dipped in marinara sauce is heavenly!
FAQs
Yes, store-bought pizza dough will work well for this recipe. Roll out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch (6 mm).
Yes! Some of my favorites are spinach and ricotta, quattro formaggi and pepperoni.
Yes, you can make the dough and filling a day in advance. Transfer the dough to the refrigerator after the first rise. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using. Assemble the calzones right before baking.
Yes, you can freeze baked or unbaked calzones. Unbaked calzones can be cooked directly from frozen, but you’ll need to add extra time.
Italian Sausage Calzone Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Calzone Dough
- 3.5 cups (440 grams) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled*
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast (see recipe notes to use active dry yeast)
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm milk
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Filling
- 8 ounces (230 grams) Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) unsalted butter
- 8 ounces (230 grams) button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 ounces (60 grams) pepperoni (about 15 pepperonis)
- 8 ounces (230 grams) low moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (250 grams) ricotta cheese
Assembly
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- marinara sauce for serving
Instructions
Calzone Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the flour, sugar, instant yeast and salt. Mix well.
- Pour in the milk and water. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Add the vegetable oil and continue mixing until the oil is fully incorporated. Increase speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and set aside in a warm space for about one hour or until the dough doubles in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, push down the dough several times with your hands. Cover and set aside for an additional 30 minutes.
Filling
- To make the filling, brown the italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Drain the excess fat.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook the mushrooms until crispy. The mushrooms will release their moisture. Continue cooking until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms are golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.
- Combine the ricotta and mozzarella in a large bowl and mix well.
- Add the mushrooms, sausage and pepperoni. Mix until well combined.
Assembly and Cooking
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Separate the dough into 3 equal portions.
- Roll out the first portion of dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper into a circle about 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter.
- Place 1/3 of the filling on half of the circle. Fold the dough in half to form the calzone. Pinch the edges together to seal. Cut 5 slits in the calzone to allow steam to escape and transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat this process with the other 2 portions of dough. Transfer the calzones and parchment paper to a pan.
- Beat the egg with one tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Brush the top of each calzone with the egg wash.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes.
- While the calzones are baking, mix together the melted butter and garlic.
- Brush the calzones with garlic butter when they come out of the oven and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
Measuring Flour: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure flour. If measuring by volume, use the spoon and level method to avoid over-measuring the flour. Lightly spoon flour into the measuring cup until it’s completely full. Then run the back of a knife over the cup to gently scrape off any excess.
Active dry yeast: Mix the sugar into the warm water. Sprinkle 1 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast over the top. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes or until foamy. Mix together the flour and salt in a separate bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and milk. Once the dough is formed, add the vegetable oil.
Storage: Leftover calzones can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
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This was a lot of help to read! Making calzones tonight, using Sur La Table’s pizza dough that I will make. I’ve been reading other recipes that turn oven higher for longer. I assume just to wait til it browns on top. That’s for the tips and tricks! I’ll see how mine turn out.
Hi Nathalee! I’m glad it was helpful. 🙂 Yes, the oven temp and time will definitely depend on the type of dough you decide to go with. I hope your calzones turn out great!